By: Matt Luedeman, Peter Wells, Chris Dyke Advisor: Jay McCormack Clients: Dr. Karl Rink Dr. Gabriel Potirniche Dr. Akira Tokuhiro 1

 Problem Overview  Testing Procedures  Vessel Design  Budget  Future Plans  Questions 2

Purpose: The Next Generation Nuclear Power Plant (NGNP) uses a graphite pebble bed as a neutron moderator.  Dust creation  PEBBLES Code  Unknown properties of nuclear grade graphite 3

Two main parts:  Create testing procedures for finding Young’s/Shear Modulus, Poisson’s Ratio Static/Kinetic Coefficients of Friction.  Create a heated pressure vessel that can simulate the environment in a nuclear reactor. 4

Young’s Modulus 5

Shear Modulus 6

Coefficients of Friction  Kinetic  Static 7

Vessel Requirements  Dimensions  Heating Source  Viewing Window  Electrical Input  Safety  Access 8

Vessel needs to be large enough to conduct experiments for:  Our testing procedures  Graduate student experimentation  Future experiment or design implementations 9

Our proposed vessel will have:  ID = 12 inches  L = 12 inches  The thickness will depend on the temperature of the steel 10

Internal Heating  Heats Specimen Quickly  More Energy Efficient  Simplifies Overall Design External Heating  Takes Longer to Heat  Less Energy Efficient  Creates Challenges for Experimentation 11

 There is little excess energy used.  Requires a temperature control unit  Variable voltage controller 12  Two possible methods:  Flanged Immersion Heaters  Sending a current through a wire  NiCr wiring

 Application  Benefits  Disadvantages 13

Fiber Insulated Heater from Zircar Ceramics:  Custom Size  Insulation included  Time to heat  Temperature Control 14

 According to the ASME standards for pressure vessel design  Fiber insulated heater temperature graph from Zircar Ceramics 15 Vessel Thickness

We need a viewing window for:  Conducting Testing  Observing Equipment 16 Design Factors:  High Flexural Strength  Known energy deflection characteristics

 Required to allow for internal input of wiring  Power feed-through must be rated to withstand:  Pressure  Temperature of outside of insulation 17

Vessel will need:  Pressure Relief Valves  Design Safety Factor  To Comply with ASME Regulations 18

Vessel needs to have access in order to:  Vary experiment setup  Perform Maintenance on Heating Unit 19

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ItemCost ($) Stainless Steel Fiber Insulated Heater1000 Power Supply700 Feed-Throughs500 Labor Window200 Other1000 Total (approximately)

 Finalize Vessel Design  Viewing Window  Vessel Thickness  Insulation Shape  Order Materials  Assemble Vessel  Test Apparatus  Perform Mechanical Testing in Vessel (Time Permitting) 22

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25 CATIA Rendering of Vessel

26 Vessel Thickness

27 Power Input Calculation